


Rest for the Weary

by purajobot935



Category: The Transformers (IDW Generation One), Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: Chromedome is Protective, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst, Gen, MTMTE, Nightmares, Rewind is Tired, Sleep Deprivation, Sleepy Cuddles, Tailgate is a Good Friend, The Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye (IDW), Whirl Has a Good Idea, supportive friends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-10
Updated: 2015-12-10
Packaged: 2018-05-05 23:37:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,758
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5394482
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/purajobot935/pseuds/purajobot935
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>During a routine movie night, a few bots looked over at the tiny mech in concern when the footage started to fritz.<br/>Tailgate was the first to notice.</p><p>"Are you alright, Rewind?" he asked as the footage flickered again.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Rest for the Weary

**Rest for the Weary**

Rewind was normally a bot of high spirits and high energy, usually found trotting alongside his larger Conjunx, or moving about the Lost Light in search of new footage to record. To most of his small circle of friends, it almost seemed like he never seemed to tire - and maybe they were partly right. Being much smaller than the rest, he was fuel-efficient, and didn't require large quantities of it compared to a bigger mech like Whirl for instance. 

Which was why, during a routine movie night, a few bots looked over at the tiny mech in concern when the footage started to fritz, and the projection itself started to waver. Tailgate, who was seated right beside where Rewind was standing, was the first to notice.

"Are you alright, Rewind?" he asked as the footage flickered again. 

"Huh? What? Of course. Why do you ask?" Rewind hastily steadied the projection. 

"It's just..." Tailgate hesitated. "Well, so long as you're fine."

"I am. Don't worry about me."

The blue-and-white Minibot dropped the subject, at least until the images started to blur again and he noted the little archivist swaying slightly on his feet.

"Rewind?"

The other Minibot's head snapped up quickly, his blue visor brightening. "I'm okay!"

"You're clearly not," Tailgate said. "Come to think of it, you look exhausted. Why don't you sit down for a bit?"

Rewind waved a hand dismissively. "I'm fine, guys, really. Just get me some engex and I'll be powered up in no time."

"Is that all you've been having lately?" First Aid chimed in as he came over. The Lost Light's new chief medic peered closer at the Minibot as he took out a scanner and ran it over him, much to the Minibot's chagrin. "Your energy levels are way below average. By these read-outs you haven't recharged in a while."

"I didn't ask for a diagnosis." Rewind shut off his projector. "Especially since there's nothing the matter with me- whoa!" He wobbled, landing on his aft, before glaring up at the big, blue helicopter who had just poked him with a claw. "What the hell, Whirl?"

"Stop lying to us, short-stuff. I don't like liars."

"That's funny, coming from you," Rewind snapped as he rubbed his backside. "All of you need to stop overreacting."

The shadow of a familiar silhouette fell over them, and Whirl was yanked back with a yelp. "All of you need to stop crowding him and give him some space." Cyclonus crossed his arms and glared until the most of the movie-goers beat a hasty retreat from the room, leaving only himself, Tailgate and First Aid alone with Rewind.

"I'll get you some engex," the medic said as he went to do so, while Cyclonus moved away to clean up the hab-suite.

Neither of them mentioned how Rewind's visor quickly dimmed and he unwittingly leaned against Tailgate's shoulder, head drooping forward as fatigue caught up to him again. First Aid shifted hesitantly where he stood and looked at the purple mech across from him as he watched Tailgate nonchalantly wrap an arm around Rewind's shoulders.

"Is he...?"

"I'm awake," came the immediate reply, though they all heard the slur in Rewind's voice. "Fussing over nothing."

"You're just cranky when you're tired," Tailgate said, and Rewind grunted something in response that made the other Minibot giggle. 

First Aid fidgeted again. "I ought to take him back to the medi-bay," he whispered as Cyclonus came over to where he was and swept a pile of empty engex cans into a bin. "Or at least to his room."

"Leave him be."

"But..."

"Someone's already on his way to pick him up."

==========

Chromedome was alone in the hab-suite, reclined comfortably in his berth and intending to spend his downtime reading while his partner was away hosting movie night. Normally he would have joined the group, but he was craving some time to himself, and Rewind was completely understanding of his need for a little peace and quiet. Things tended to get hectic on board sometimes.

So he was considerably startled to hear a loud rap on his door. 

Checking the time, he frowned behind his visor. It was a bit too early for movie night to have ended. Swinging his legs off the berth, he got to his feet and went to open the door. 

A claw gripped his shoulder like a vise.

"Have you been keeping Rewind awake every night?" Whirl's mono-optic shone intensely.

Chromedome glared as he tried to pry the claw off his shoulder and looked up at the copter. "What are you talking about? Let go of me!"

Whirl did no such thing. "Look, I know he's your 'junxy and all, but you can't keep 'facing him all the time. Mech's gotta sleep, too."

The shorter bot sputtered. "What the frag, Whirl?!" He tugged on the blue mech's wrist. "Has your brain component finally shorted out?!"

The warrior shook him. "Don't lie to me, Chromedome. What have you been doing to Rewind?" He leaned in threateningly.

"I haven't done anything to him!" Chromedome raised his voice as the needles on his right hand extended. "Whirl, I swear to Primus if you don't let me go and tell me what's going on, I WILL use these and you won't like it."

The single optic eyed the needles and Whirl reluctantly released him and took a step back. Chromedome retracted the needles and rubbed his left shoulder where the copter's claw had left dents. 

"You're supposed to look after him this time."

"He's my Conjunx, not a sparkling. He's- "

"He's tired." Whirl cut him off. "He's undercharged, crankier than you, passing out on his feet, and being stubborn about it."

"What do you mean tired?"

"Do I need to hit you over the head with a dictionary? He's exhausted! He could barely keep his projector powered up. And First Aid said that he looked like he hadn't recharged in days... Hey, wait!"

Chromedome hurried down the corridor. 

==========

The door to the hab-suite was forcibly wrenched open, and Cyclonus immediately reached for his Great Sword, before he recognized the silhouette standing in the doorway and relaxed.

"Rewind."

The Minibot sat up with a yelp from where he had been dozing fitfully in Tailgate's arms, breaking the hold and leaving the other Minibot looking on in concern. He leveled a halfhearted glare at Whirl who stood in the hallway, then focused on the mech coming into the room.

"I'm fine, Domey. You didn't need to come all this way."

"You haven't been recharging." It wasn't a question. Chromedome crossed his arms.

Rewind looked away from the yellow visor. "Not for lack of trying."

Tailgate glanced at his friend. "It looked like you were trying to fight off something... And you were making sounds like..." He trailed off as Rewind's visor flickered and dabbed at a thin line of blue running down the red facemask. "Rewind?"

The archivist gently bumped his forehead against Tailgate's. "You're a good bot."

First Aid watched the exchange and looked at Chromedome. "I read Skids' report, and I saw the dataslug he gave Nightbeat. I can give him something to stop the nightmares and let him recharge."

Rewind turned to them, frowning. "I'm sitting right here; I don't want to be drugged."

"You need to recharge, Rewind. You're dangerously under-powered," First Aid said patiently. 

"Why should I trust you? I don't even know you; you're not my doctor."

"Rewind!" Chromedome looked between the two of them. "First Aid, I..."

"It's fine. He's right in a way." The medic turned to Rewind. "I was your doctor once. And you trust Chromedome, don't you?"

The Minibot looked away, then sighed. "They're less frequent when I'm close to Domey, but sometimes they're too intense to fight off. And when they happen, I can't recharge again."

"So what you're saying is that you recharge better when you've got someone beside you?" Whirl asked from where he stood just inside the door. "Well then, the answer's simple...." His claws clicked as he came further into the room.

==========

"And you're okay with this arrangement?" First Aid asked Cyclonus as they stood at the door. 

"For now, if this is what will help him, till you and Rung can find a way to stop the nightmares and get him back into a proper recharge cycle."

First Aid sighed. "There's no quick-fix solution to this. He's suffered terrible emotional trauma, and it's going to take him some time to recover. He needs a good support system, and I'm afraid Chromedome cannot do it all by himself... And I also worry Chromedome might try what he thinks is an easy-fix solution."

"Chromedome is better than what he used to be... But if it worries you, then this arrangement may help. At least I can keep an optic on things."

"Alright then." First Aid turned to leave. "I'll come by with some with some energon in a few cycles."

Cyclonus nodded and shut the door as the medic left, picking his way through the darkened room before settling down comfortably in his armchair and dimming his optics.

==========

Rewind stirred to wakefulness and tried to calm his systems as his optics took in the darkened room and Cyclonus' resting form sitting close by. Tailgate and Chromedome sandwiched him on either side, their fields meshed with his to comfort and reassure him, while Whirl's field covered them all like a blanket as he lay sprawled across their legs, single optic dark in recharge. He was safe. They were all safe. 

A touch of soft yellow light made him glance up at his sparkmate. 

"You okay?"he asked quietly.

"Bad dream." Rewind snuggled closer to Chromedome and felt Tailgate cuddle against his back. Whirl never stirred. "But I feel better knowing you're all here."

Chromedome gently stroked the smaller white helm. "Wish you'd have told me about this sooner."

"I'm sorry. I just didn't want to worry you." Rewind leaned into the touch and let his optics dim. "This is nice though."

"Whirl's allowed to have a good idea now and then."

"I didn't know they..."

"What? They still cared about you? Rewind was their friend. Rewind was Tailgate's best friend, and they missed you. Right now, it doesn't matter where you came from. You're still Rewind, and you're still their friend."

"I missed them, too. I'm glad they're here and they're alright." The Minibot dimmed his optics as recharge crept up on him again. "Thank you, Domey."

"Sleep, Rewind," he said. "I'll be here."

~ END.

**Author's Note:**

> This was written on one of those nights where I was tired to the bone, and I just needed to let out the exhaustion.  
> Unbeta-ed, and still makes me want to cuddle with a bunch of Minibots.


End file.
